This year, Milk-agro s.r.o. organized the "Recycle and Win" contest for the fourteenth time. The contest for collecting aluminum caps and tetrapak packaging from SABI products is intended for kindergartens and elementary schools. Its goal is both to promote the consumption of healthy dairy products and milk itself and to support sorting and waste collection. Through this activity, Milk-agro s.r.o. wants to contribute to environmental protection and strongly motivate schools, children, families, and everyone to practically collect and hand over packaging and caps that do not burden our environment.
The contest has met with great interest from the start, perhaps because active collectors always await rich prizes.
Actually, no one loses. Every school participating in the contest receives something. And it was no different this year. The best collectors were rewarded with a 5-day trip to Milan. Filip Čajka, Jakub Kopčák, and Peťo Kizek were taken aside and asked about how it was, what happened, and what they liked most about the trip.
In which category did you win?
Filip: I won in category AB – best cap collector, and my school also won in category A4 – over 351 students. I am happy for myself and my school and classmates who protect nature like me and will also receive a reward now.
Jakub: My winning category was Sabi tetrapaks.
Peťo: I don't remember exactly what the category was called, but it was about collecting yellow caps from the integráčik cream. My task was to collect 10 caps and add one receipt. So, one receipt per ten caps.
What motivated you? Winning or helping the environment?
Filip: At home, it is completely normal to separate waste, protect nature, and help. I think it should work like this in all families. I was motivated by my mom, who has done many successful ecological projects, and together we have done many good things for nature and its protection.
Jakub: It started with my grandma, and when we had the contest at school, I just continued collecting. I didn't think about winning, and I certainly didn't expect such a big prize.
Peťo: My motivation was more that I like traveling and discovering new countries or places. The idea to join this contest came from teacher Oravcová, who introduced us to these contests and registered us. Regarding our environment, since childhood, my family, school, and even the village have led me to sort waste, so it was no novelty for me to do something for the environment.
What did you have to do and who did you involve?
Filip: I definitely wouldn't have collected 5.5 kg just by eating Sabi products. Not even the whole family would be enough. I had to involve all acquaintances, even strangers. Many gave me all the aluminum foils they collected, and I sorted out those belonging to Sabi products.
Jakub: It was originally my grandma's idea, so she helped me the most with collecting.
Peťo: I had been collecting caps for a long time, and the year before, I didn't manage to join the contest, so I saved them for the next year. When I was in ninth grade, I learned about the possibility to join the contest. I sorted the caps I needed from the box and gave them to the teacher. I involved my dad in collecting; he bought "integráčik" almost every morning. He said he bought it just for me, but I think also because he liked it.
And the prize? Were you happy?
Filip: It was a huge surprise. The unexpected win made me jump for joy; I never thought I could win something so amazing.
Jakub: The prize made me very happy. It was my first such trip.
Peťo: Of course, the prize made me happy.
What are your impressions from the trip? What was the best, most interesting?
Filip: The unexpected trip to Milan was a great adventure from the first moment. Right after arriving in Milan, we had a great Italian dinner in the excellent company of Juraj Kucka, a great footballer. He is a good guy and, as we later found out, very well-known and popular in Milan. The city tour, ecological event, interesting inspirations, historical sights, simply – life the Italian way. And then the AC Milan – AS Roma match at San Siro, which we looked forward to all day. And finally, the fun park Gardaland! A trip with a beautiful view, a ride on the mammoth train, a wild boat ride… super!!! But read more about all this in my mini diary.
Jakub: My impressions? Before the trip, I was indescribably excited. The trip there was good, and Italy was nice, the food and the stadium. I liked everything in Italy, but probably the most the amusement park where we stopped on the way home.
Peťo: My impressions of the trip are amazing. I prepared for the trip the day before departure. Two feelings mixed in me: nervousness because I didn't know anyone and joy because I was going on a trip and would see something I might never see again. When we arrived at San Siro in Milan, only then did I believe I made it. We went to dinner with Juraj Kucka, and he surprised me a lot. I never thought he was such an exceptional person. The food was excellent. I joked that I would gain at least 5 kg before coming home.
The atmosphere at the stadium was incredible; people there literally live football. On the way home, we stopped at the amusement park. When I got out of one "attraction," guess what, I saw Marek Hamšík with his family. It was crazy; what are the chances of just meeting him like that?!
It's hard for me to pick just one highlight. It's simply impossible. But I would like to add that we met really good people there. I am a bit difficult by nature and take longer to integrate into a group, but here, on the second day, I felt great with them. Of course, I must not forget to thank Stanka and Slavo for taking me on such an amazing trip.
(editor's note: names on the double page are: Slavomír Kravčák, director of OZ Integrácia, Stanka Matvejová, assistant of OZ Integrácia, Fabio Bortolini, chairman of Pre Mesto OZ Poprad, Veronika Bella, Slovak consulate Milan, Matej Bálint, marketing manager of Milk-Agro, s.r.o.)
